Tomatoes, broccolis and carrots have inspired the new collection of the Korean eyewear brand Gentle Monster, and following its creative philosophy, it has turned its communication channels and points of sale into a giant and fantastic garden with which it seeks to reflect the constant evolution of its universe and invite consumers to imagine new and daring forms of style.
The brand launched the Veggie Collection at the end of May in South Korea, China and the United States, and at the beginning of July globally. It is made up of ten models of compact folding glasses that reinterpret the shapes and colors of vegetables under the gaze of creativity, sophistication and fun.
These ideas are, precisely, those that have articulated a multichannel advertising campaign that explores surrealism to capture a bizarre obsession with vegetables that is transferred to the countryside, and to other aspects of life. The strategy includes two spots, starring the singer Karina, from the group Aespa; or the actor Yu Shi. Both show how the stem of a tomato inspires the decoration of the temples of glasses.
Just as the colors and shapes of the plant universe have inspired the designs of the collection, they are also reflected in the visual and narrative codes that have shaped digital communication. Gentle Monster gives prominence to vegetables, as well as other elements of the natural world, to present the different glasses that make up the Veggie Collection. Also take advantage of the flexible shape of the accessories to animate them taking the movements of the butterflies as a reference.
In addition, it has given life to an entire creative universe of creatures called “Veggiemon”, that is, a set of animated characters that reflect the spirit of the different designs in the collection. Eggplants, tomatoes, onions, mushrooms or insects, such as spiders or tarantulas, make up the particular agricultural landscape created by the brand to accompany the launch of its new glasses. In addition, it has turned them into keychains following the popular charm trend, and delivers them randomly with each order in the collection while supplies last.
These curious creatures have also been found in the special packaging created by the brand to share the collection with influencers and content creators. The shipment has also created an imaginative plush garden that has included key chains and some of Gentle Monster’s glasses.
The brand’s creative plant world has been brought to the physical realm with a series of immersive installations in the brand’s stores in Los Angeles, Seoul, Tokyo, Shanghai, Beijing and Bangkok. Versions at different scales of the “Veggiemon” have occupied the points of sale, creating an inspiring monumental agricultural landscape and an entertainment experience in which the space has become a destination and a content. Giant stuffed animals in the shape of broccoli or large tomato sculptures have been combined with decorative figures of vegetables that have accompanied the presentation of the glasses throughout the space.
The facilities have also included games and interactive dynamics, such as a photo booth that has offered visitors the possibility of having their own version of Veggiemon. As the brand has shared on social networks, ambassadors, influencers and creators have enjoyed the activations, as a lever to promote the products.
The Veggie Collection expands the brand’s differential strategy, characterized by the construction of artistic worlds around each collection. The immersive installations in its points of sale have become a hallmark of Gentle Monster and a successful formula to turn both the stores and the brand itself into an aspirational and desirable place to want to be.
